Chuck Klein
⭐ Hall of Fame 1980
Born: 10/7/1904 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
Died: 3/28/1958 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
MLB Debut: 1928-07-30 | Final Game: 1944-06-11
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Charles Herbert Klein
Biography
Chuck Klein, born in 1904, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1928 to 1944. Known for his powerful hitting and exceptional batting average, Klein played a total of 1,753 games, amassing 2,076 hits, 300 home runs, and 1,201 RBIs, with a remarkable batting average of .320. His prowess at the plate was complemented by his speed on the bases, as he successfully stole 79 bases during his career. Klein's ability to consistently deliver in clutch situations contributed to his reputation as one of the era's top hitters.
Throughout his career, Klein was recognized for his outstanding performance, earning two All-Star selections and winning the TSN Guide MVP award on two occasions. His contributions to the game were immortalized when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980. Klein played during a transformative period in baseball history, navigating through the late 1920s and 1930s, a time when the game was evolving with the introduction of more offensive strategies. His legacy endures as a testament to the talent and tenacity of players from his era.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1753 | 6486 | 1168 | 2076 | 398 | 74 | 300 | 1201 | 79 | 601 | 521 | 0.320 | 0.379 | 0.543 | 0.922 | 31790.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | PHI | NL | 64 | 253 | 41 | 91 | 14 | 4 | 11 | 34 | 0 | 14 | 22 | 0.360 | 1365.2 |
| 1929 | PHI | NL | 149 | 616 | 126 | 219 | 45 | 6 | 43 | 145 | 5 | 54 | 61 | 0.356 | 4920.7 |
| 1930 | PHI | NL | 156 | 648 | 158 | 250 | 59 | 8 | 40 | 170 | 4 | 54 | 50 | 0.386 | 5973.0 |
| 1931 | PHI | NL | 148 | 594 | 121 | 200 | 34 | 10 | 31 | 121 | 7 | 59 | 49 | 0.337 | 4117.6 |
| 1932 | PHI | NL | 154 | 650 | 152 | 226 | 50 | 15 | 38 | 137 | 20 | 60 | 49 | 0.348 | 5545.9 |
| 1933 | PHI | NL | 152 | 606 | 101 | 223 | 44 | 7 | 28 | 120 | 15 | 56 | 36 | 0.368 | 5421.1 |
| 1934 | CHC | NL | 115 | 435 | 78 | 131 | 27 | 2 | 20 | 80 | 3 | 47 | 38 | 0.301 | 1669.2 |
| 1935 | CHC | NL | 119 | 434 | 71 | 127 | 14 | 4 | 21 | 73 | 4 | 41 | 42 | 0.293 | 1203.1 |
| 1936 | CHC | NL | 29 | 109 | 19 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 0.294 | 299.5 |
| 1936 | PHI | NL | 117 | 492 | 83 | 152 | 30 | 7 | 20 | 86 | 6 | 33 | 45 | 0.309 | 299.5 |
| 1937 | PHI | NL | 115 | 406 | 74 | 132 | 20 | 2 | 15 | 57 | 3 | 39 | 21 | 0.325 | 1525.9 |
| 1938 | PHI | NL | 129 | 458 | 53 | 113 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 61 | 7 | 38 | 30 | 0.247 | -1048.6 |
| 1939 | PHI | NL | 25 | 47 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0.191 | -59.9 |
| 1939 | PIT | NL | 85 | 270 | 37 | 81 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 47 | 1 | 26 | 17 | 0.300 | -59.9 |
| 1940 | PHI | NL | 116 | 354 | 39 | 77 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 37 | 2 | 44 | 30 | 0.218 | -820.0 |
| 1941 | PHI | NL | 50 | 73 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0.123 | -548.5 |
| 1942 | PHI | NL | 14 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.071 | 0.0 |
| 1943 | PHI | NL | 12 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.100 | 0.0 |
| 1944 | PHI | NL | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | WS | CHN | 5 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1600 | 0 | 3250 | 194 | 135 | 39 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | PHI | OF | 63 | 0 | 128 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 1929 | PHI | OF | 149 | 0 | 321 | 18 | 12 | 3 |
| 1930 | PHI | OF | 156 | 0 | 362 | 44 | 17 | 10 |
| 1931 | PHI | OF | 148 | 0 | 292 | 13 | 9 | 0 |
| 1932 | PHI | OF | 154 | 0 | 331 | 29 | 15 | 3 |
| 1933 | PHI | OF | 152 | 0 | 339 | 21 | 5 | 5 |
| 1934 | CHN | OF | 110 | 0 | 222 | 6 | 9 | 2 |
| 1935 | CHN | OF | 111 | 0 | 215 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
| 1936 | CHN | OF | 29 | 0 | 63 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 1936 | PHI | OF | 117 | 0 | 213 | 13 | 17 | 2 |
| 1937 | PHI | OF | 102 | 0 | 175 | 11 | 10 | 3 |
| 1938 | PHI | OF | 119 | 0 | 229 | 8 | 10 | 1 |
| 1939 | PHI | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | PHI | OF | 11 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1939 | PIT | OF | 66 | 0 | 133 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 1940 | PHI | OF | 96 | 0 | 180 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 1941 | PHI | OF | 14 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1943 | PHI | OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1944 | PHI | OF | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 258 |
| Center Field | 46 |
| Right Field | 1307 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 48.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 1st | 78.0 | 80 | 6 |
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 55.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1929 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 15.0 | 80 | 0 |